Much more than a mere carriage-trade brand name, the Audio Research marque has come to represent stellar performance and lasting value for music lovers and audio enthusiasts everywhere. Founded in Minneapolis more than forty years ago, Audio Research is one of the oldest continually operating manufacturers in American audio. Through the years, ARC has remained steadfast to their original goal – to continue advancing state-of-the-art in high definition music reproduction. Audio Research prides itself on manufacturing products which promise to provide genuine enjoyment for as long as the customer cares to own them. In company practice, this means that Audio Research technicians can still repair, refurbish, and restore to original performance standards virtually any product ever manufactured during the company’s lifetime. These products are workhorses, not museum pieces.

An amplifier is the workhorse of any system – it is responsible for receiving small signals from a preamplifier or source component, and developing them into larger currents to control a loudspeaker. To that end, the GS150 has been designed to seamlessly integrate into any system and steadfastly perform its task. Challenging source material and difficult speaker loads are met with control and finesse to present a musical landscape of breathtaking proportions.

A preamplifier, amplifier, phono stage, and digital to analog converter all in one chassis, the GSi75 combines with your favorite speaker to deliver a singular and simple solution to control your listening system. Unlike other integrated designs that make performance – sacrificing compromises to fulfill a price point or form factor, the GSi75 harnesses the power and technologies developed by Audio Research into an authoritative platform to reveal the performances in your media.

The GSPre is the nerve center of a system – not only directing signals and providing attenuation, but also interpreting and deciphering complex signals to create a musical story with the drama and intrigue befitting your favorite songs. The job of a preamplifier is to do its work discretely, leaving the musical signal with as little signature as possible yet still unraveling the chapters that comprise the lyrical narratives of the source material. With decades of expertise creating some of the finest preamplifiers ever produced, the GSPre is certain to continue the legacy on which Audio Research has built its reputation.

In 2010 we announced the Reference Anniversary preamplifier, a special limited edition product commemorating our 40th anniversary. It was acclaimed by many as the finest preamplifier available and a fitting tribute to all of the classic Audio Research products that were introduced during the forty years that preceded it. That we would only accept new orders for this special product during the anniversary year surprised almost everyone, but we considered the limited time frame appropriate. Since that time, we have learned a few things, and the result of that knowledge led to the development of the Reference 10. Included are critically chosen new components, proprietary custom-made capacitors, wiring, and new connectors that cumulatively provide a level of performance never before achieved. Key Audio Research design traits remain: The signal path is fully discrete, all-tube, pure Class-A, with zero feedback. Other attributes and choices remain, too: Each unit is completely hand-soldered and hand-constructed in our Minnesota facility using the finest materials, with major components such as custom transformers, plated-through circuit boards, and casework sourced locally. All engineering is performed in-house.

Simply put, the REF150 SE is a breakthrough in stereo power amplification. Replacing the REF150—which was one of the most respected modern stereo amplifiers—was a daunting task, but it has been accomplished. The REF150 SE offers more power, greater dynamic thrust, a more vivid and resolved presentation, greater finesse, and quieter operation. It is the new benchmark. Having identical outer dimensions as its predecessor, the REF150 SE has much more packed into its chassis. Refined front-panel cosmetics reflect the updated look of current-generation models, with silver units having silver handles and silver top covers, while black units have black handles and black cover. (Colors may be mixed to match older models.)

The concept of a large monoblock amplifier is to provide control to a speaker. The difficult part of the job is maintaining finesse and musicality while doing it. Audio Research has produced some of the most critically acclaimed products during its 42-year history and the new Reference 250 SE aims to break new ground.

Almost since the inception of the brand, Audio Research has produced some of the finest components for music reproduction; this is especially true with regard to preamplifiers. In 1973, the SP3 was hailed as the best preamplifier available, and this tradition of excellence has continued ever since. The Reference Series from Audio Research was first introduced in 1995 and has been the ultimate representation of performance, musicality and power. The Reference 6 is the latest chapter of our story.

The Reference 75 SE is a stunning amplifier in every way – performance, styling and reliability combined to elevate your music listening to a new experience. Capable of controlling a wide variety of speakers, the Reference 75 SE will transport you into the musical performance unlike any other comparable amplifier. At the heart of the Reference 75 SE is decades of proven Audio Research vacuum tube technology, a legacy unrivaled by any other manufacturer of tube electronics. Developed through hundreds of hours of critical listening, the carefully selected components comprising the Reference 75 SE combine to provide an amplifier which transcends traditional hi-fi, instead relaying music with realism and tangibility.

The Reference 750 SE monoblock amplifier continues the story begun 20 years ago with the introduction of the Reference 600; that is, to create the ultimate, tube-driven amplifier with enough power to drive any speaker load and to provide a musical experience unlike any before it. The Reference 750 SE redefines all expectations of what is possible from an amplifier in a music playback system. It is the culmination of everything Audio Research knows about amplifier design and manufacture – High Definition in its purest, most dynamic form.

Audio Research introduced its first Reference series CD player in 2005 with the Reference CD7, then evolving into the Reference CD8 in 2008. Both players met with critical acclaim for their musicality and reproductive accuracy. People still want to play their CDs, but they also want to add other digital sources such as computer audio to their music systems, so we created the Reference CD9 CD Player/DAC. It combines the best of both, a super high-resolution compact disc player with a super high-resolution digital-to-analog converter that is stunning in its musicality.